Teacher 'seduced four teenage girls from his school'

A married science teacher had affairs with four girls at his school despite being confronted by the parents of one of them over his relationship with their daughter, a court heard yesterday.

Steven Edwards, 34, seduced the girls, aged between 14 and 16, in classrooms and on a field trip, the jury was told.

The father-of-one invited one teenager to his home while his wife was out, took another's virginity in his BMW after she turned 16 and had sex regularly with a third girl in a school toilet.

He gave pupils his e-mail address so he could "help with homework", but proceeded to chat up the girls using e-mails and an Internet messaging service, the court heard.

Edwards, of Fortyfoot, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, denies 11 offences of abusing a position of trust by engaging in sexual activity.

Four of the charges relate to sexual intercourse between October 2001 and October 2004.

Helen Hendry, prosecuting, told Hull Crown Court the victims came from three consecutive academic years at the secondary school in East Yorkshire where he taught and that he was carrying on with more than one girl at a time.

She said one affair with a girl of 14 began after he gave his e-mail address to the whole class.

Using his Internet name Mr Stigg he chatted to her over the Internet and on MSN.

Later, they would drive off in his car where "sexual activity" took place, it was alleged.

The girl's parents became suspicious of a note found after she returned from a school field trip to the Yorkshire Dales where Edwards had been in charge.

The note referred to "meeting downstairs at 3am".

Edwards is also alleged to have "touched" the girl sexually "during a film show".

Her father found his mobile phone number on her phone and discovered half her e-mail messages on the home computer were from the teacher.

Miss Hendry said the girl's mother asked Edwards if he had kissed her daughter and he allegedly replied: "Yes."

But the teacher denied anything was going on at a meeting the next day involving the school head and the family.

The parents decided against making a complaint in the interests of their daughter and the teacher, but insisted he no longer taught her.

Yet the court heard how the relationship continued and developed into a full sexual affair. Miss Hendry said the girl said she did not want to lose her virginity until she was 16.

Two months after her birthday he allegedly drove her to a layby and they had sex.

Eventually the relationship ended and the girl spoke of "feeling used", the court heard.

Three other girls developed crushes on Edwards.

A two-year relationship with one began shortly after she turned 14. They were said to have had sex "ten to 15 times" in the disabled toilet at school.

Edwards told the third girl he rarely had sex with his wife since the birth of their daughter.

During their 30-month relationship she went to his home when his wife was out and they had passionate encounters, the court heard.

The fourth girl had a crush on Edwards, despite not being taught by him.

They arranged to meet at a local park to go running together and they kissed for the first time.

The court heard that police and social services were alerted by the girl's father but she refused to co-operate with an investigation or make a complaint.

The allegations regarding Edwards's affairs came to light later following the launch of another police investigation.

Edwards was interviewed by detectives and denied all improper sexual activity.